Microwave treatment device

Abstract

A microwave treatment device includes a heating chamber for accommodating a heating target, a microwave generator, a feeder, a detector, and a controller. The microwave generator generates a microwave having a frequency in a specified frequency band. The feeder radiates the microwave inside the heating chamber. The detector detects a reflected microwave power reflected from the heating chamber. The controller causes the microwave generator to execute a frequency sweeping in the specified frequency band, and controls the microwave generator according to a temporal change in a frequency characteristic of the reflected microwave power. The temporal change in the frequency characteristic of the reflected microwave power is based on the frequency of the microwave, a level of the reflected microwave power, and a time passed from a start of heating. Thus, it is possible to accurately recognize the progress of cooking while heating the object.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A microwave treatment device comprising:
 a heating chamber configured to accommodate a heating target; 
 a microwave generator configured to output a microwave having a frequency in a specified frequency band; 
 a feeder configured to radiate the microwave inside the heating chamber; 
 a detector configured to detect a reflected microwave power reflected from the heating chamber; and 
 a controller configured to cause the microwave generator to execute a frequency sweeping in the specified frequency band, and to control the microwave generator according to a temporal change in a frequency characteristic of the reflected microwave power, the temporal change in the frequency characteristic of the reflected microwave power being based on the frequency of the microwave, a level of the reflected microwave power, and a time passed from a start of heating, 
 wherein the controller is further configured to store the temporal change in the frequency characteristic with the time passed from the start of heating, to recognize a progress of cooking of the heating target based on the temporal change in the frequency characteristic, and to control the microwave generator according to the progress of cooking of the heating target. 
 
     
     
       2. The microwave treatment device according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to control the microwave generator according to a temporal change in a frequency of at least one of a local minimum point, a local maximum point, a maximum point, and a minimum point contained in the frequency characteristic of the reflected microwave power. 
     
     
       3. The microwave treatment device according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine whether to continue or finish a cooking process of the microwave treatment device according to the progress of cooking, and to change cooking conditions as needed when continuing the cooking process.